Paramedic Initiative For Essential Service Fails

Paramedics are disappointed at news their petition to have the same collective bargaining rights as police and firefighters failed.

Elections BC says they didn’t get enough signatures in every riding.

Local spokesman Dean Perry says he still hopes something will come out of it.

” I believe there is still 215 thousand signatures or something like that, so it was quite a success in a lot of ways, created a lot of awareness.”

Paramedics in Vernon-Monashee surpassed their goal of 47 hundred and 50 signatures by getting five thousand and 25.

Dean Perry says some areas had trouble getting people out.

” there’s a lot of burnout factor in Vancouver, so some of the guys are getting called all the time for overtime shifts and just didn’t have the drive to get out and get the signatures.”

Perry hopes it becomes an election issue.

” I’m hoping that might come on and say wow, public’s behind them. Let’s make some changes.

They want to be placed under the Fire and Police Services Bargaining Act, which would have allow them declared an essential service.